Stone Turned Diamond Heart
by Nampa
Summary: All the battles, all the suffering come up to this fight, between these two best friends. Sakura was fighting with kakashi and Sai against Sasuke when Naruto arrived, they were on the floor exhausted not knowing what else to do.
1. The reunion

**Chapter 1 - Reunion**

**Disclaimers -** I don't own any of Naruto's characters.

**A.N** - Hi I rewrote this story and thanks to **LoveNewFantasy** this chapter and the next will be more composed and with his help impales story could have a happy ending.

* * *

All of their battles, all of the suffering had come up to this one last fight, this one last point, between two best friends. Sakura had fought with kakashi and Sai against Sasuke and when Naruto arrived, they were on the floor exhausted not knowing what else to do.

"Finally you arrived." He barely looked up from the pile of exhausted people that he used to know.

"Sasuke! I've come so let them go! This fight is between you and me." Naruto sadly looked back at the person who used to be his rival and brother.

"You're right. – Said Sasuke with an arrogant smile – finally an opponent worth killing for."

"Naruto! Please don't go! He will kill you with no regrets, Please! I dont want to lose you for just a stupid promise! I dont want to lose you as well." her voice broken from the scenarios running amok in her mind. She gazed at Naruto but she knew that it was pointless.

"Naruto-kun …" Sai almost whispered as his exhaustion was too much to bear.

"No, Sqkura, I made a promise and i swore to keep it. Nothing! And i mean Nothing, will stop me. I must have this fight, I won't give up on will hear what I have to say."

"Hn… dobe. Still a loser. This win is guaranteed."

"Right Sauke! Let's do this! I'll show you! I've gotten better these past years." Naruto states loudly his punch, stopped by Sasuke's defense. Then it got serious, punches left and right, all restrictions let loose. Sasuke was using his curse mark and wore Nauto out. But Naruto wouldnt give in his determination to bring him back took control. In his state of mind he pulled upon the power of the Kyuubi (Nine-Tails) the chakra flaring like flames.

Sasuke was breathing fast and pulled a last punch going right for the kill, he had already activated the second stage of the curse mark. Naruto too kind to be able to hurt someone he knew. Sadly Sasuke was an entirely different story he wanted hurt him, and hurt him bad.


	2. Friendship

**Chapter 2 - Friendship  
**

* * *

"Why aren't you aiming to kill? Do you wish so desperately to die by my hand?" Sasuke was infuriated by the fact that Naruto wasn't going all out on him. It was an insult to his clan.

"I'm trying to get you back! Not bring you're corpse. Sasuke why did you change? Our team was one of the best? Why did you throw our bonds awayl? For what purpose?"

"Shut up! You don't know anything! How it feels lost your parents and seeing your one and only brother, the only person who cared or you, kill you're family." Now whispering "But even then, my choices granted me the truth. So it was all worth it"

" Sasuke I understand! I was always hated a reason I couldn't control! I …" Sauke interrupts, his voice full of venom.

"No you don't understand, never will and never shall! So Shut Up! You don't know anything, if you want to die so bad, I won't deny you of that desire. Threateningly Sasuke rushes towards Nauto unsheathing his sword, targeting Naruto's heart."

Naruto stood still like a rock, the others in spite of their conitions understood what Naruto was pulling, grief ripped them appart. They didnt want this, this wasnt the outcome they'd imagined.

Sasuke was charging to kill and Naruto was going to take it. Sakura and Kakashi stood, trying to prevent the inevitable. They knew, they knew they didnt have the strength nor the chakra to get there in time to save their comrade. They could only pray that he wouldnt just stand and take the hit and at least dodge. The world seemed to slow like a slow motion recorder, in horror the watched as Sasuke's sword tore appart Naruto's chest, the blood gushing onto Sasuke, they could clearly hear his muscles being impaled by the metal.

Naruto's body gave one twitch and he smiled to Sasuke blood running down his chin. Coughing up blood he smiled, before another fit shook his body. From the sidelines Sakura and Kakashi couldn't believe themselves they hoped this was just a genjutsu. He couldn't be dead, he just couldn't die! He always pulled through no matter what!


	3. Sacrifice

Sorry for keep you waiting, my son was born, and had not had the time to continue the story but always heard better late than ever so it is with great pleasure that I present the new chapter and hopefully not take that long for the next.

Thank you also for the constructive criticism I will try to improve these aspects

* * *

_"S…Sai? Why did you put between us?"_ Naruto, who was prepared to die, he wasn't prepared to the death of one of his friends. Sasuke take his sword from Sai's body, which was still standing and more blood coming out from his body, his body fell down, Naruto rushes to support his friend.

_"Sai, you didn't have to, this wasn't your fight."_

_"Na…Naruto-kun… no this wasn't my fight… but it was yours and… I thought that friend were suppose to… help each other including… help fighting their fights… bu…but I didn't thought that would co…me to thisss…."_ Sai passes out, Sakura was the first to arrive and then Kakashi but he was kind of protecting them from Sasuke.

_"Sakura do something please."_

_"Naruto try to stay calm all that screaming won't help. Just go help Kakashi-sensei while I try to find some hide for us."_ Skura takes Sai to a safe place so that it was possible to see the wound and try to save him.

Meanwhile Naruto joins the fight.

_"Sasuke you will pay for what you have done"_ Said Kakashi

_" It was his fault, this wasn't none of his business, but know that it is done, my only regret is that I failed my target."_

_" why did you do that? Why don't we just talk and find a way to understand each other. I remember when we were young I didn't like you very much but you were my partner, and you saved me so many times that I thought we were becoming friends. I was so happy that you and Sakura were my friends and we could count with one another. What Happened to you?What changed?"_ Cried Naruto out loud.

_"Everything changed. But I'm tired of explain it to you. I've to go. Prepared for our true battle maybe then you will understand what I mean"_ Suddenly Sasuke disappeared.


	4. Sleeping Illness

**Chapter 4 - Sleeping Illness**

**A.N.** At last the 4th chapter, to all our happiness and thanks to LoveNewFantasy that we have this done. Two brains think better than one, right?

**Disclaimers** - I wish, but I do not own any of our beloved characters,

* * *

Sausuke's sudden departure left everyone a little off balance. Feeling a little daze Naruto wandered over to Sakura where she was healing Sai. As he came closer he noticed there was a frown on her face, tripping over some roots he braced himself for the impact.

Kakashi had caught him just in time with a little grunt, "Watch where you're going eh? Naruto. We don't want any more casualties, now do we?"

Supporting each other they got across the bumpy landscape over to Sakura. She had found a nice little overhang of rock which was covered by lush greenery, on the side was Sai breathing a little too harshly to be considered healthy. His pale white skin now almost translucent, sweat accumulating on his brow. He seemed a little worse for wear than before.

"Sakura? Is, is Sai gonna be okay? He doesn't look very good..." a look of concern passing Naruto's tan features.

"Of coarse he's going to be okay, Baka!" she whispered loudly.

"Mou, Sakura-chan I'm only worrying for my teammate." he whined as he pouted. Kakashi looked on amused at their actions. Clapping sharply twice Kakashi ordered them to set up camp and then rest. After all they've had a strenuous day.

* * *

Naruto couldn't go to sleep his concious instinct that he got from the kyūbi kept him awake. He listened to his instincts and slowly got up, wanting to check Sai he went over to his tent that they had set up earlier. Slowing down as he crept closer he noticed an odd dark chakra emanating from Sai's tent, preparing himself for an attack he inched closer to the entrance flaps and swiftly opened it...

Only to see Sai gasping for breath, struggling to breathe. But the main point was that the dark chakra was coming from Sai in waves.

"SAKURA! Sakura-chan! Sai has been taken over!" in a rushed flurry of movement Kakashi and Sakura had woken up prepared for action. Only to see Naruto panicking right next to Sai's tent.

"Naruto, what happened? Why'd you wake us up? You didn't have another dream where Ramen was banned from the world did you?" Sakura's lips moved upwards into a little smile emembering that night.

"Sakura, it's Sai!" immediately everyone's attention was grabbed by Naruto and his flailing arms as he tried to explain what happen but the only thing they could understand was Sai, scary, and possessed.

"Naruto, Naruto calm down" Kakashi slowly motioned with his hands for him to calm down "Now, once again from the top what happened?"

"Well I felt that something was wrong with the instincts that kyūbi gave me so I went to check Sai's tent, and then I saw or rather felt a scary, dark chakra coming from his tent, so I checked it out. I, I can't explain! I think that he has been possessed and that's why he is glowing a dark, deep purple. Please Saura-chan you've got to hel him! You must!"

"Calm down Baka it's probably just nothing." Sakura just walked Up to Sai's tent and opened the flaps to see...


	5. Blackening death

A.N.: Hello everyone, sorry that I let you hang in the darkness XDD but here it is I hope you like it

P.S. I don't own any of Naruto's characters

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"Calm down Baka it's probably just nothing." Sakura just walked Up to Sai's tent and opened the flaps to see…

Sai was no longer looking like Sasuke with flawless pale skin and onyx black hair, instead of marble like skin she was encountered with what seemed to be his skin darkening like a big bruise all over hos body slowly spreading out from somewhere underneath his his clothes.

Kakashi stunned looked over to Sakura for the answer "I thought you had cured him?"

"Yeah... So did I..." Sakura had trailed off her thoughts taking her elsewhere "I will do the diagnosis Jutsu and see if the problem somehow escaped my previous inspection."  
Charging her hands up with medical chakra she kneeled next to Sai his still bruised form unnerving her. As her hands lowered themselves onto Sai's body she felt a little resistance but shrugged it off, when suddenly she was slammed into Kakashi who fell unprepared for the sudden disturbance.

Sakura's Head hit the floor and as she stood up gathering her thoughts her mind stumbled as it started up again.

"Sakura-chan! Are you okay? See! Didn't I tell you he was possessed!" Naruto was rambling as he helped Sakura gain her balance for a few seconds.

"I...I don't know... But I felt a bit of resistance... It felt dark and corrupted and it was flowing into Sai's chakra stream, little by little, slowly taking over." Sakura started mumbling at a ferocious pace only few words caught by her faithful companion.

"Kakashi-Sensē I'm really worried! I think he has been poisoned, but I'm not entirely sure... I have to talk to Tsunade-sama about its components to find a cure."

As the group turned ready to pack and their minds crowded with many thoughts of things about Sai. 'Would he die? Live? Change?' all of these questions bombarded their minds.

As they left the room, they heard a grunt coming from Sai, his bruised body moving the sheets a little to expose more of his blemished skin. The group all turned hope lit up their faces. It was only a small noise but it was still a sign.

"mmm..." Sai slowly flickered open his eyes "Gasp... Where, where am I?" he whispered as his voice was slightly husky from sleep. Everyone could hear him they were so happy that he was awake!

Sai not seeming to notice his teammates beaming in his direction put his hand on his chest trying to remember the last thing that happened to him. As he was thinking a sudden pain enveloped his chest. The pain was overwhelming he heard noise around him his vision going fuzzy as his body spasmed. He tried to sit up but the pain was increasing at a rapid rate, he tasted something metallic and put his hand to his mouth as he coughed up more of the substance. 'Ah. I'm coughing up blood, surely that can't be good' his thoughts drifted off as his connection to reality slipped.

Naruto was worried for Sai, his precious Sai,the one who saved him from death at Sasuke's hand but was now suffering in his place. He ran to Sai and knelt next to him trying to comfort him, wishing that the pain Sai didn't deserve would go away. "Sai! Hang on! Sakura-chan" he turned his sky coloured eyes to her tears on the verge of falling " Can you help him?" Despite the emotions his face was showing Naruto's voice was quite, calm and polite as if nothing was wrong, and it was scaring Naruto himself but he didn't want too think too much about it.

"Naruto. I, I'm sorry... I... I can't do anything, at least until we get to the village to Tsunade-sama for help" She walked over to where Naruto was knelt next to Sai and spotted the dark bruising, that before was a small circle, was growing slowly but as soon as it had started it had slowed down to a stop.

She listed this down as one of the symptoms and thought of a theory as to why that happened, noticing that no-one was paying attention to what just transpired she kept it to herself.

As Sai fought and regained is consciousness he was relieved that the pain was slowly ebbing away. Just as he was about to relax a resounding slap echoed in the tent as pain once again blossomed but this time in his cheek. He winced and opened his eyes seeing that the culprit was Naruto, giving him a questioning look. "What's your problem Naruto?"

Naruto Rubbed the back of his head giving a little laugh hoping he hadn't hurt Sai too much "Well I was making sure you weren't dead." Sai glared at Naruto and suddenly Naruto was eating dirt. Literally. And it was all the fault of...

"NARUTO!What were you thinking? Sai just wakes up and you slap him? You're a Moron."

Kakashi who was looking embarassed with his hands held high in exasperation. Sai looked around familiar thoughts entering his mind 'Yeah they are my friends', but his thoghts were cut off by the dark bruising that was spreading out from his belly.


	6. Hidden Casualties

Hi guys, It's been a long time since the last chapter :( sorry but I made this one a little bit bigger than my other chapters so enjoy and tell me what you think about it :)

Btw, I wanted to thank **LoveNewFantasy** for helping me to put my imagination into written.

A.N.: I don't own any of the characters of Naruto Shippuden

* * *

Kakashi who was looking embarrassed with his hands held high in exasperation. Sai looked around familiar

thoughts entering his mind 'Yeah they are my friends', but his thoughts were cut off by the dark bruising

that was spreading out from his belly.

No-one had noticed the patch of dark skin growing, thankfully they weren't even paying attention to him. He

heard someone talking to him, interrupting his thoughts "Sai, Are you feeling okay?" asked Kakashi

crouching down to eye level he put his hand on Sai's shoulder in a comforting manner.

"Yes, I'm okay, maybe just a bit tired but other than that okay..." he trailed off not wanting to alarm them

of his strange injuries.

"Okay." came Kakashi's voice as he turned to the rest of the group, "So, since Sai is better now, you two

should get some rest. I'll take the night shift tonight. Tomorrow we are going to try and get to Konoha

within the day so we will need all the rest we can get. Sai you should also rest, I'll see you all in a couple of

hours" Kakashi turned and left the tent and got ready for the night shift.

"Goodnight everyone" whispered Sai trying hard not to flinch as the pain from his chest spiked up again,

thankfully no one noticed. Sakura and Naruto just stood in the tent for a bit before Sakura broke the silence.

"Goodnight Sai, just shout me if you need anything Kay?" She sent a comforting smile his way the

moonlight shining on her face. Naruto was the last in the tent with Sai, he wanted to be there for him, help

him, protect him because he was Sai's friend and what type of friend was he? An awful one that was for

sure. He couldn't protect Sai because he was being selfish, he wouldn't have minded if Sasuke killed him at

least his friends would live. But then what he'd have left Sai, Sakura, Kakashi, Konohamaru, Hinata and

Baa-chan crying for his death, for whose sake? Sasuke? Was he even worth it? He thought so before , but

now... He saw that Sasuke... His friend Sasuke... "Is long gone" he let out his realisation In a whisper.

"What? Did you say something?" Sai asked, he was almost asleep and hadn't noticed that Naruto was there.

"No it's, nothing. I was just thinking..." Naruto looked at Sai as he slept "Thank you Sai," He knelt down

next to Sai "Thank you, not just for saving my life, but... Reminding me what friends are and I promise you

I won't let you down anymore and with that he sealed his promise with a kiss on Sai's forehead.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::Naruto Shippuden::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ::::::::::::::

The next day

It was early morning and the sun was rising up in the skies as they started their journey back to Konoha.

Sai felt weak, his body had been subjected to pain ever since he woke up, but he didn't show it or at least

he didn't think so. When he'd woken up this morning he'd noticed that the shadow on his belly which he saw

the night before had grown much bigger than it was before. He tried to cover it as much as he could in fear

of his teammates reaction to the unusually large bruise.

"Hey Sai, your kinda quite today." It was Naruto trying to lighten the atmosphere, "After all the things he's

gone through its to be expected," Said a concerned Sakura. Then from the corner of her eye she spotted the

edges of a dark bruise where Sai's clothing had slipped down for a second before he quickly rearranged it.

She looked away from Sai to see if anyone else noticed when as they were jumping through the trees,

something large fell behind them, and tumbled down to the ground, the size unmistakably a humans body.

Before it reached the ground they noticed a comrade missing "Sai!" They all screamed as they reached out

to him, Naruto being the one to catch him.

Sai's head was tucked into Naruto's protective embrace as Sakura looked him over, Kakashi on guard ready

for any enemies. Sai was in pain and that much was obvious to Naruto as Sakura mumbled what she saw

"Clenched fist over chest indicating pain in the lungs or heart, face scrunched up meaning he's probably

been enduring it for a while now..." As Sakura continued to diagnose Sai, Naruto was paralysed the look of

Sai's face in pain beyond him scorched into his memories. He was in shock seeing his friend, his Sai in pain

and subconsciously he tightened his grip on Sai as if to never let go of him again.

"Sai! Sai! Open your eyes! Sai! Come on Sai where does it hurt?"Sakura urged her friend with her hand

caressing his cheek, she listened for his heart as it beat erratically, surely it couldn't get worse? Could it? As

if she'd jinxed it Sai started coughing up blood as his heart beat weakened a bit and passed out.

Sai was in his own world his vision fuzzy as he tried to stay unconscious and somewhere in his mind it

registered to him that he was safe in someone's hold, He saw something bright and pink in his sight and it

was saying, or maybe shouting something but he couldn't tell, it had moved from his vision and he felt

something warm on his chest, something was clogging up his breathing so he tried to cough only to taste an

iron red liquid before passing out, his nerves frazzled from the pain.

Using her woman's intuition Sakura ripped off Sai's belly shirt and saw his chest covered with dark black and

tender skin. She looked up to see purple veins spreading from e bruise to his neck, his arms and back. She

put her hands up to her mouth in horror stopping herself from retching as the veins grew over Sai's

defenceless body.

"Sakura," came Kakashi's voice " Is Sai going to be okay? What's happening to him?" As Kakashi tried to

figure out what was going on.

"Something is not right, this was not like this yesterday." came Sakura's voice wavering as she looked at

Sai's condition.

"Sakura, tell me do you know what's happening to him?"

"I don't know Kakashi-Sensē, I just do know that we have to hurry up, because the faster we get there the

faster we can find out what's happening to him and hopefully get him treated."

"Naruto come on get up we need to go formation 3..." Naruto was still zoned out on the floor his mind

reeling from shock.

"Naruto! Ad you even listening to me?!" Kakashi gripped Nauto and shook him, "Naruto wake up, he needs

you, we need you, if we don't get there in time it could be worse for him. Naruto wake up!" Sakura's words

snapped him out of shock his eyes wide.

"Naruto pull your self together we are going in formation 3 and you and I will swap over carrying Sai okay?

Sakura you take the front and we will go at full speed okay? We not know what's going on with Sai so the

faster we make it home the faster we can save him."

Sakura kneeled next to Sai feeling for his pulse but where a strong heart beat was meant to be a weak

pulses reached her fingers, she tried to be strong but her voice cracked up as she spoke revealing just how

serious it was.

"GUYS! If we don't hurry up we'll be delaying Sai's treatment and if he doesn't get treated soon we may as

well start digging him a hole. Prepare or a funeral and feel guilty about how we could have saved him but

were to slow to make it, and how we could have done better." Sakura whipped her head to Naruto who was

on the verge of tears!

"And you! He almost died for you, you're his friend! he trusted you with his life will you abandon him here?"

Kakashi's strong voice interrupted sakura bere she tore Naruto's geart apart, "He is still alive so we better

try while his hearts still beating to get him treated or it'll be too late!" His voice revealing that he knew what

its like to lose a teammate and best-friend.

"You're right Sensei, thank you." said Naruto his voice determined As he snapped out from wherever he was

and made a vow that no matter what Sai will make it to the village even if it'll be the last thing that he'll do.

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TBC


	7. The fight for life

Hello everyone, how are you? please review and tell me what you think. I hope you enjoy this chapter, and you have appolagize me but I love hurting Sai don't you?

A.N. **I DON'T ANY OF NARUTO's CHARACTERS OR SCENARIOS**

**ENJOY**

* * *

_Sai looked around recognizing the buildings, these were Konoha buildings which meant he was in Konohagakure. Bit that couldn't be the last thing he remembered was that his entire body was in pain, but now he felt sound and safe. Also as he looked himself over he found his skin unmarked from the blemishes of the bruise, 'Was it all a dream?' he heard voices in the distance but he recognized them as they neared, he would recognize that boisterous voice anywhere! It was Naruto! He was laughing along with Choji and Shikamaru._

_"I can't believe it! You broke that place!" said Naruto between his laughs._

_"Hey, Its not my fault!" replied Choji,_

_"Hi guys, how's it going? What happened?" asked Sai with a smile on his face._

_"Well, Choji just ate Ichiraku Ramen right out of business, but… Who are you? I've never seen you around before."_

_"Eh? You don't remember me? It's me, Sai..."_

_"Naruto we don't have time for this we're late for our boring meeting with Tsunade-sama" Interrupted Shikamaru._

_"Sorry we gotta go!"_

_Sai was left alone wondering what had just happened. 'He doesn't remember me? I should go to that meeting too, maybe I'll have my answers there.'_

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ::::::::NARUTO SHIPPUDEN::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::**

Real life

A sound had escaped from Sai's mouth as his body rested from the sleep he had yet to wake up from.

"Sakura, I think he feels a bit hot, is he okay? Has he got a temperature? Questioned Naruto as he was looking after the limp and unconscious Sai.

"Wait, let me check him," Sakura put her middle and first finger on her friends neck checking his pulse and temperature. He felt slightly warm and his pulse was too fast for it to be healthy. "Sai is not just hot, he's burning up with a fever! We have to stop and make his fever go down to buy us more time."

Naruto gently loads Sai onto the floor being careful so as to not agitate his condition, Sakura opened up his shirt to see if Sai's bruising had receded. She stared shocked, the bruising had already reached his hand and his face was half covered with black veins. She put her hands on her sick friends chest and she pushed healing chakra out through her hands into Sai. Her hand glowed a vibrant green as she managed to just barely bring down the fever, only for a little while though.

"We have to hurry..." she was interrupted as a kunai aimed at her vitals was stopped by Kakashi.

"Ohhh good one!" Came a gleeful voice of the stranger who came from the dark.

"Who are you? We mean no harm, we have an injured party we seek no harm, we're just passing through as our friend is sick and need immediate treatment." Kakashi reasoned with the man from the dark.

"Yeah, so what? I know that already. Humph, maybe Sasuke isn't capable enough to finish the job, but I am!" He took out his weapons sticking with a kunai starting an assault on the ninja group.

"Naruto formation C12 go take Sai and run to Tsunade-Sama, while Kakashi and I hold him off. Please hurry, he might not make it." shew whispered this giving Sai one last glance as she jumped into the fray that was a ninjas fight.

"Take care Sakura-Chan, I promise to get Sai to baa-chan, we'll be waiting for you," Then he ran like the wing avoiding stray kunai as they came by the dozen, he hadn't noticed one kunai as it flew in his direction aiming for his head. He would have been hi if it weren't for Sakura intercepting the attack.

'Please hang in there Sai, they are fighting to give us time too so don't give up on us' were Narutos's last thought as he left the clearing of their camp.

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::NARUTO SHIPPUDEN::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

_Sai was walking towards the meeting thinking that maybe that would clear up the problem he seemed to be having, as no-one recognised him, it was quite peculiar. As he made is way there Sakura stumbled upon him._

_"Oh sorry! I'm late to the meeting!" _

_"Hey Sakura what's it all about?"_

_"Its about the up coming competition, by the way who are you? I've never seen you around, which village do you come from? Oh no! Sorry see you round! Bye!" she shouted the last bit as she sprinted off in the direction of the meeting._

_'Whats going on? Why does no-one remember me?' mentally asking the question didn't help but it gave him something to ponder as he made his way to the meeting._

_As Sai finally reached the meeting he saw all of the teams assembled, even team 7 but what shocked him was Sasuke's presence on the team. 'Whats going on? Why is he here?' the thought hit him like a bulldozer as a wave of uncertainty washed him over 'what the hell is going on?'_

_::::::::::::_

**_TBC_**


	8. The promise

Hi everyone I hope you'll like this chapter please review I love when you review XDD

**A.N **I don't own any Naruto characters

* * *

Real Life

Naruto could feel very breath being expelled from his friends lungs and through his mouth, those red plump lips now dry and cracked. He reached for the little flask of water they kept for Sai, slowly pouring the liquid down Sai's unresponsive throat rubbing his Adams apple soft enough to get the reflexive swallowing back to work. The sound of his breathing would have assured him that his friend was still alive if not for the fact that every gasping breath he took only reminded Naruto of what he could have prevented. Sai's breathing had a pattern to it, he'd breath normally for a few seconds making hope rise in his chest only to start gasping and wheezing for air until every once in a while he'd stop breathing. Every time Sai stopped breathing a gut wrenching, heart stopping and unexplainably cold despair overtook his emotions, setting him way out of whack. Naruto tried not to think about it, not because it wasn't good news but because deep down even though he denied it he knew he was loosing his friend.

Flashback

"S... Sai? Why did you put yourself between us?" Naruto, who was prepared for his own death, couldn't even fathom the death of a friend let alone accept it.  
Sasuke let his sword slide out from Sai's body, which had been held up by the sword, fell as blood gushed from the opening in his body. Naruto rushed to Sai to support his friend

"Sai, you didn't have to, this wasn't your fight."  
"Na…Naruto-kun… no this wasn't my fight… but it was yours and… I thought that friend were suppose to… help each other including… help fighting their fights… bu…but I didn't thought that would co…me to thisss…." Sai passed out, leaving naruto in a state of panic. Sakura was the first to arrive and then Kakashi but he was kind of protecting them from Sasuke.  
"Sakura do something please."

Present

How could he have let all of this happen? He should have seen that Sai would try to save him, he could have stopped him. But, Then he would be the one suffering and in danger of death. But to Naruto it didn't matter he had the great Kyuubi sealed inside of him who had brought him from the brink of death many times, surely he would have had a better chance at survival than Sai in this type of situation. Then again if he was the one stabbed at least that way he wouldn't feel so... Useless, powerless even, and he hated himself for it. He could hear a whisper of Sai's voice telling ' what would've happened if you were injured in my place? Who would've been /able/ (could you do that in a different font than the thoughts to make 'able' stand out?) to protect Konoha from its enemies and opposing forces. Enemies like Sauske or the Akatsuki? If you were injured then you'd never been able to follow your dream of becoming Hokage.' Sai's tone changed to a gentle one as if speaking to a child 'I don't need your compassion Naruto, you were my first friend, the first one who showed me kindness and what it was like to be human. Naruto if I die it's because I believe in you, I chose to die for this cause and no-one asked me to, It was my own choice.' Naruto's emotions boiled over his determination setting like stone 'No. Sai you won't die I promise you that and I will forever keep that promise.'. As if a deal was struck and a conclusion made he left...

As if a deal was struck and a conclusion made he prepared himself for the night to come, ready to confront his so called Guardian, the nine-tailed fox. He was going to get his answers for sure and who else best to ask than the Demon that's lived practically since the beginning of the world, Kurama (The kyuubis name) must have answers somewhere and Naruto was going to use that to his full advantage. 'After all nothing can stop the Great and Almighty Naruto Uzumaki!'

Sai was wandering alone his mind trying to understand the impossible situation he found himself in. As he tried to figure out what was happening, he hadn't noticed that his feet had led him to the training grounds. In the distance he heard the sounds of training, there were two voices, silently he approached them keeping himself hidden in the trees as he got closer he recognised the two figures. It was Naruto training with Jiraiya the famed perverted sannin also known as Naruto's Sensei. He saw Naruto's happy face and remembered how Jiraiya's death had affected Naruto, he'd been in a state of near depression for weeks until his resolve finally cracked and he had cried on Sai's shoulder for what had seemed to be hours but in fact only half an hour or so. And yet here he was, the dead Jiraiya training with Naruto, how could it be?He was tired of all this... this... God! It was just so confusing he didn't even know what situation he was in. Sai left the two to train in private as he went searching for more information to help him get his bearings, he needed any information that he could get his hands on, maybe he could find his answers at the library. As he passed several building he saw Sakura running and laughing like he had never seen before, as he looked to whom she was running to it struck him like a slap in the face, there waiting for her was Sasuke. How could Sasuke be the source of all their happiness, sadness, hope and despair?

He could remember how hard Naruto fought to bring him back home, when they first met, that feeling… that sense of friendship, he'd never felt something like that before, as all he had known was the iron fist Danzo his master had ruled the Root with.

Real life

Naruto could see already the Hokage Monument, they were closets Konoha, and the feeling of seeing Konoha in reach was an immense relief, he still had to talk to the Kyuubi as it was still day but the sun was slowly falling, the sky turning a million shades of reds and fiery oranges. He was happy with relief thinking they finally made it as he slowed at the gates of Konoha to tell them he needed to see baa-chan still thinking everything was going to be fine, Sai stopped breathing, he couldn't feel the soft rise and fall of his chest or the sound and feel of him softly breathing in his ear. Luckily he was already at Konoha's gates and his entrance already written down. He saw two shinobi running at him that he couldn't recognize, he was far more worried about his Sai. He was lying Sai's body on the floor and saw something that he hadn't seen before, his friend's body was covered with a purple brown coloured like bruising. He put his head Sai's chest hoping to hear something, a heartbeat anything. But if there was a heartbeat the sound escaped him, The muscles that pumped the lifeblood throughout Sai's body had stopped beating. Tears trailed down his face the droplets of saltine water breaking at contact with the clothes that Sai wore. 'Is this the end? All the promises I made... Will this be the only one unfulfilled? No.'

"I won't let you give up! You coward. Don't you dare die so easily on me! I won't let you die so easily"  
Naruto Started a rough CPR pressing his lips to Sai's as he held his nose shut and breathed into his friend, no scratch that! Sai was his best friend. The two shinobis, Shikamaru and Choji reached the gates to see Naruto giving Sai CPR, and they were shocked with that scene. They didn't do nothing just


End file.
